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Contested death (2000 to present)

Frederick Jermaine Carter

Ruled suicide, disputedDec 3, 2010 · Age 26 · Greenwood, MS

Who Frederick was

Frederick Jermaine Carter was 26 and lived in Sunflower County, Mississippi, a few miles from Greenwood. In early December 2010 he was working with his stepfather on a house painting job in north Greenwood.

His mother is Brenda Carter-Evans. His cousin, Michael Pembleton Jr., then mayor of the town of Sunflower, spoke publicly for the family. A community organizer who knew him said he was always seen helping the children.

After his death his family pushed for answers, asking for a second autopsy and a federal investigation.

In the words of those who knew them

  • “Not knowing what happened is a torment.”Brenda Carter-Evans, his mother · source
  • “I need to know what happened to my son.”Brenda Carter-Evans, his mother · source

What happened

Frederick Jermaine Carter, 26, was working with his stepfather on a house painting job in north Greenwood, Mississippi, in early December 2010. According to the Jackson Free Press, he wandered off after his stepfather left to pick up supplies. On Dec. 3, two workers found him in a tree in a field just outside Greenwood's city limits. The Leflore County Sheriff's Department took over the case.

Sheriff Ricky Banks said within a day that the death appeared to be a suicide, telling the AP there was "no sign that we could find whatsoever that anyone else was involved." Coroner Debra Sanders ruled it a suicide on Dec. 6 after the state medical examiner's office shared autopsy results. The medical examiner's final report, signed March 21, 2011, gave a cause of death but left the manner "pending investigation."

On March 31, 2011, the family and the Mississippi NAACP asked the Justice Department to investigate. His mother, Brenda Carter-Evans, said, "Not knowing what happened is a torment." Family attorney Valerie Hicks-Powe said the state crime lab had withheld parts of the autopsy file and his belongings, and the family sought a second autopsy. Banks said the FBI had assisted but hadn't opened its own case. In July 2011 the Mississippi Department of Public Safety announced an internal review. Relatives have called his death a lynching, the Washington Post reported in 2021, and JULIAN's February 2026 report says an independent autopsy was performed but its results were ignored. The coroner's suicide ruling stands.

The case

Where found
Tree in a field just outside Greenwood city limits, Leflore County
Official finding
Suicide (Leflore County Coroner). The state medical examiner's final report, signed March 21, 2011, gave a cause of death but left the manner as 'pending investigation.'
Time to finding
Preliminary autopsy results pointing to suicide announced within about four days (AP)
Investigation
Leflore County Sheriff's Department. The Mississippi Department of Public Safety announced an internal review in July 2011.
Family position
The family disputes the suicide ruling. Through attorney Valerie Hicks-Powe they asked for a second autopsy and a federal investigation, and said the state held back parts of the autopsy file and his belongings.
Public evidence
An independent autopsy, whose results the civil rights organization JULIAN says it secured, classifies the manner of death as homicide, according to The Impact Magazine (Aug 27, 2026). The pathologist is not named in that report, and the full autopsy report has not been published. JULIAN said it intends to push the Leflore County Sheriff's Office to reopen the investigation. No official body has changed the original suicide ruling.
Federal review
Mississippi NAACP asked DOJ to investigate. As of March 2011 the FBI hadn't opened its own investigation, per the sheriff.
Last verified
2026-11-14
Verification note: Jackson Free Press dates the death to Dec 2 and says workers found him Dec 3, 2010. The coroner's suicide ruling and the medical examiner's unstated manner of death differ, per Jackson Free Press. The independent autopsy's homicide classification is reported secondhand by a single outlet (The Impact Magazine), drawing on JULIAN; no established news outlet or official source has confirmed it.

Sources

Record history

  1. Nov 14, 2026 · Reviewed update
    Record updated
    • Public evidence: An independent autopsy, whose results the civil rights organization JULIAN says it secured, classifies the manner of death as homicide, according to The Impact Magazine (Aug 27, 2026). The pathologist is not named in that report, and the full autopsy report has not been published. JULIAN said it intends to push the Leflore County Sheriff's Office to reopen the investigation. No official body has changed the original suicide ruling.
    • Verification note: Jackson Free Press dates the death to Dec 2 and says workers found him Dec 3, 2010. The coroner's suicide ruling and the medical examiner's unstated manner of death differ, per Jackson Free Press. The independent autopsy's homicide classification is reported secondhand by a single outlet (The Impact Magazine), drawing on JULIAN; no established news outlet or official source has confirmed it.
    • Sources updated
  2. Oct 18, 2026 · Reviewed update
    Record updated
    • What happened updated
    • What happened sources updated
  3. Oct 18, 2026 · Reviewed update
    Record updated
    • Official finding: Suicide (Leflore County Coroner). The state medical examiner's final report, signed March 21, 2011, gave a cause of death but left the manner as 'pending investigation.'
    • Investigation: Leflore County Sheriff's Department. The Mississippi Department of Public Safety announced an internal review in July 2011.
    • Family position: The family disputes the suicide ruling. Through attorney Valerie Hicks-Powe they asked for a second autopsy and a federal investigation, and said the state held back parts of the autopsy file and his belongings.
    • Public evidence: JULIAN's 2026 Crimson Record says an independent autopsy was later performed and its results were ignored; the findings have not been published.
  4. Oct 18, 2026 · Reviewed update
    Record updated
    • Life updated
    • Remembered updated
    • Life sources updated
  5. Oct 18, 2026 · Reviewed update
    Case added
    • Name: Frederick Jermaine Carter
    • Age: 26
    • Date found: 2010-12-03
    • City or county: Greenwood
    • State: MS
    • Status: Ruled suicide, disputed
    • Where found: Tree in a field just outside Greenwood city limits, Leflore County
    • Official finding: Suicide (Leflore County Coroner). The state medical examiner's report, released March 2011, didn't state a manner of death, citing a pending investigation (Jackson Free Press).
    • Time to finding: Preliminary autopsy results pointing to suicide announced within about four days (AP)
    • Investigation: Leflore County Sheriff's Department led the case. The sheriff said there was no evidence anyone else was involved. The FBI assisted but didn't open its own investigation.
    • Family position: His mother asked for a federal investigation. The family's attorney said there was insufficient evidence to rule out a hate crime (Jackson Free Press, March 2011).
    • Public evidence: A state senator alleged local officers didn't secure the scene. The Leflore County NAACP president questioned the finding based on photos.
    • Federal review: Mississippi NAACP asked DOJ to investigate. As of March 2011 the FBI hadn't opened its own investigation, per the sheriff.
    • Verification note: Jackson Free Press dates the death to Dec 2 and says workers found him Dec 3, 2010. The coroner's suicide ruling and the medical examiner's unstated manner of death differ, per Jackson Free Press.
    • Sources updated
Frederick Jermaine Carter, Greenwood, MS · Found Hanging: Case Tracker